Teen trio at fault, police conclude

An investigation into an incident in which three teenage boys were hit at the intersection of South Main Street and Spartanburg Highway downtown concluded that the three boys were at fault.

At 1:08 p.m. Tuesday , officers with the Hendersonville Police Department arrived at the intersection of South Main Street and Spartanburg Highway to investigate reports that three pedestrians that had been struck by a motor vehicle.

Two juveniles, ages 15 and 16, of Hendersonville, who police are not naming, and 19-year-old Christopher Taylor of Buncombe Street had crossed from the northeast corner of the intersection into the center island and activated the crosswalk to gain access to walk west across South Main Street traffic into the Fresh Market parking lot.

The investigation by the Hendersonville Police Department revealed that the two juveniles and Taylor failed to yield the right of way to the vehicle by violating the crosswalk signal.

No citations

Hendersonville Police Officer Mike Vesely said that none of the boys or the driver of the vehicle were issued a citation.

The 15-year-old activated the crosswalk sign.

The three pedestrians failed to wait on the signal granting them access by a white walk sign and started into traffic, Vesely said Wednesday.

The three pedestrians crossed over the northbound lane and continued across the stopped left-turn lanes and entered the path of a 2000 Ford Explorer driven by Harold Blyth of Brandon Road.

Vesely said that Blythe had a green light, granting him the right of way. Blythe was unable to stop and collide into the three pedestrians.

Witness accounts reporting yesterday that one of the pedestrians was completely run over by Blythe were not accurate, according to Vesely.

Extent of injuries

The 15- and 16-year-old juveniles were transported to Mission Hospitals in Asheville by helicopter. The 15-year-old suffered a broken right leg and under went surgery and is still at Mission Hospitals, Vesely said Wednesday.

The 16-year-old was treated for bruising and was released from Mission Hospitals.

Taylor was transported to Pardee Hospital for bruising and was treated and released, Vesely said.